The Duchess of Edinburgh looked radiant as she stepped out for an engagement in Cornwall on Wednesday, visiting the Castle Heritage Centre, also known as Castle Bude.
Royal fans gathered to meet the Duchess as she arrived, who looked sharp and sophisticated in a grey plaid trouser suit from Vince Nichols, pairing her outfit with a Sophie Habsburg clutch bag.
The royal layered a black turtle neck jumper beneath her double-breasted blazer, and slipped into grey pointed-toe boots to complete her glamorous ensemble.
You wouldn’t necessarily realise the royal was wearing a piece of highly sentimental jewellery, but Sophie actually gave a touching nod to her husband, Prince Edward, by wearing the same diamond stud earrings she wore on the day their engagement was announced in 1999.
The striking sparklers are simple in design yet beautiful in appearance, perfectly complementing her blinding royal engagement ring.
© GettySophie’s ring features a two-carat central oval diamond flanked by two smaller, heart-shaped diamonds. Edward joked at their engagement photocall: “Have you got your dark glasses on? If it catches the sun, you’ll be blinded.”
© Tim GrahamThe Duchess wears the ring, which is reported to be worth an estimated £105,000 ($149,000), alongside her Welsh gold wedding band.
Sophie and Edward’s relationship
© GettySophie Rhys-Jones, as she was formerly known, was just 22 when she locked eyes with Prince Edward, 23, for the first time.
© Richard Young/ShutterstockThe future couple had another unexpected encounter in 1993, when Sophie was leading the publicity for the Prince’s Real Tennis Challenge event.
Prince Edward reportedly asked for Sophie’s number that evening, sparking the first chapter of their royal love story.
© GettySophie and Edward exchanged vows in June 1999 at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, the same wedding venue chosen by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018.
A whopping 200 million viewers tuned in to watch Prince Edward’s royal wedding, which saw Sophie walk down the aisle in a beautiful Samantha Shaw bridal gown and a breathtaking tiara borrowed from the late Queen Elizabeth II’s private collection.
© Max Mumby/IndigoMarking her husband’s birthday earlier this year, ahead of their 25th wedding anniversary, the Duchess paid a heartfelt tribute to her husband.
“He has been my guide and shown me the way over the years. He has given me much help and advice and his knowledge and instincts that have been honed over decades of services are invaluable. We share speech notes, chat about issues and together I think we make quite a good team”
She added: “He is the best of fathers, The most loving of husbands and is still my best friend. So here is to you my Darling Edward and may I, along with your familes and so many friends wish you the happiest of birthdays.”
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